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on 2006/12/18 6:26:39
One of the most stylish actors in Bollywood — Fardeen Khan has been one star kid who practically grew up on Bollywood sets.
CNN-IBN Entertainment Editor Rajeev Masand spoke to the star about his wedlock with Natasha Madhvani, the special relationship he shares with his yesteryear’s superstar maverick dad — Feroz Khan, and of course the remake of 70’s hit Qurbani that Fardeen says will make him “step into shoes too huge” for his size.
Rajeev Masand: Fardeen welcome to the show. It's been about a year since you got married to Natasha. Is marriage suiting you really?
Fardeen Khan: Am I not glowing enough? What do you think? I’m extremely happy and settled after marriage. Natasha took a great part of the year — about six months — to get fully adjusted to Mumbai. I took six-seven months off after we got married and didn’t work from about December till August.
We have just been doing up our house and getting things settled. Even though she knows most of my friends, it’s a big change moving from UK to Mumbai. I’ve been introducing her to all my relatives and friends.
Rajeev Masand: Has the party boy sort of lifestyle gone out for you now?
Fardeen Khan: We both love going out. We hang out, meet friends and party every now and then. We enjoy spending time with each other. If you talk about my partying habits before I would say they weren’t that bad really. Earlier I used to be out partying at least three-four times a week. Now it’s pretty much a weekend affair. Sometimes we are just happy sitting at home, ordering food and watching a movie.
Rajeev Masand:You have known Natasha since you two were babies. Even your parents had worked together in films. So is it correct that you two have known each other all your life?
Fardeen Khan: We knew each other but I think I’ve really known her completely after we got married. Her family had stayed in Africa for a while. I was just going through one of the family albums and I just a saw a picture of ours where she must’ve been three and I am barely seven-eight years of age. In the picture she is offering me a cake and I’m grabbing out to reach for it. So, our association does go back long in time. We were really good friends before we got married. But it was the wedlock that made everything so special.
Rajeev Masand:Has she been critical of your work?
Fardeen Khan: She is extremely critical of my work. She goes on to say things like “you were really sh** in that particular film” and also suggests me as to what kind of roles should I do henceforth.
Rajeev Masand:What are the films of yours that she likes most?
Fardeen Khan: She liked my work in Fida, No Entry , Janasheen and Khushi. Though she hasn’t seen many of them, I would rather she should not see some of them at all.
Rajeev Masand:The obvious question — when can we hear the pitter-patter of some tiny feats in Fardeen Khan’s house?
Fardeen Khan: Soon. We have discussed it already. But more importantly she must get settled first. We both love kids. But as for now, we have got two little Yorkshire Terriers (dogs), who are quite a handful. Having them is almost like having two kids at home.
I already know what kind of father I would like to be and what relationship I would have with my kids. We just need to pick a date and say, “we have had enough enjoyment now, lets go and make some babies.”
Rajeev Masand:You have been an actor for a couple of years now. Tell me what do you think of your movie career at this stage?
Fardeen Khan: Looking back from where I had started, I’ve learnt so much and have come a long way. I experience a different kind of confidence than what I used to experience earlier.
Then, it was more about getting it right and not messing up. Now it’s about going on the sets and having fun with your role where you are trying to add something to create something interesting. And you just keep pushing your envelope. I have reached a stage where I’m working with people I want to work with, choosing the subjects I like, which is a great stage to be in. There is still a lot that is left to do. There are so many people that I still want to work with.
Rajeev Masand:Do you really enjoy acting or do you see it as a job?
Fardeen Khan: If you don’t enjoy what you are doing, it becomes a boring job. Sometimes you have a certain idea about the way a film is going to go or the way a character is going to turn out. But then it doesn’t happen that way all the time.
And you can’t even explain why ‘what you thought’ didn’t happen? Every now and then you work at certain projects where you don’t even feel like you are at work. And then there are times when you feel, like you are on a picnic.
Rajeev Masand:When was the last time you felt being on a picnic while shooting?
Fardeen Khan: My last five-six films have pretty much been like that.
Rajeev Masand:How ambitious are you? How hard do you strive to be the best in your game?
Fardeen Khan: To answer that honestly, I don’t think I have given Bollywood my ultimate best. I’m sure I could have faired batter.
Rajeev Masand:Then why have you been holding yourself back?
Fardeen Khan: Its not that I am holding myself back. I have enjoyed my profession and lived my life at the same time.
Rajeev Masand:Are you suggesting that its difficult to enjoy your profession and life both at the same time?
Fardeen Khan: Yes, perhaps that’s true. When it comes to enjoying life, I’m the kind of person who would go all out to enjoy it. I took an eight-month break from my work even before I got married. A lot my friends advised me not to do so but at that point of time I felt I just needed it badly.
In those eight months I did nothing but hung out with friends. But let me tell you that it refreshed me completely.
When I came back, I was raring to go absolutely. I was tired of doing the same kind of roles, the same college boy romance stuff playing the romantic young hip urban guy with a bit of a comedy here and songs there. That wasn’t exciting me anymore. So, taking a break became essential. Now, here I am back at work finishing off almost four-five films at hand.
Rajeev Masand:What are your earliest memories of being on the sets?
Fardeen Khan: I remember the shooting of my dad’s film Qurbani way back in 1977. One of its song Laila o laila was being shot and it was my birthday that day. Dad was not present on my little birthday party because he was shooting. So, we all went with the cake to the sets and then I had cut my cake with all the crew members on the sets. That was probably my earliest memory of being on the sets.
Rajeev Masand: As a kid, were you fascinated with movies? Was the germ of acting in you?
Fardeen Khan: Initially, it was boring. One shot happens and then you go on repeating it over and over again. That is your very first introduction to the films and the sets. You can’t play, you can’t move, you have to sit quite. As a kid, films sets never fascinated me. As I grew older and understood the entire process and every aspect of filmmaking and the effort that goes into making one film, it definitely left me fascinated then.
Rajeev Masand:Talking about Qurbani, your dad is now planning a remake of the 70’s hit with you playing the role that he played originally in the film. Does that have a strong sentimental value for you?
Fardeen Khan: Yes certainly it has. I get nostalgic about it when I think of playing my dad’s role. I remember all the people involved in the film and the evenings spent with them at home.
They shot the film like we were one family. Uncle Vinod (Khanna) and my father used to hang out together all the time. That was also when I met Akshaye (Khanna) and Rahul (Khanna). I remember traveling with them to see the premier.
It does bring back lot of memories, but at the same time, it is nerve wrecking from the audience point of view. Since Qurbani is a cult classic today, 26 years down the line, still seeing it regularly on TV and it being among top ten films of its time—all this makes you feel the shoes you are going to step into are too huge.
Rajeev Masand:Your dad has been a strong influence on you. Isn’t it?
Fardeen Khan: Dad has been a great influence on me, professionally and personally both ways. We have been like friends and I know he has lived a very open life, in terms of his beliefs and the things he had wanted to do in life. He has not been that typical father and he never even followed any rules as such. He has always lived life on his own terms.
Rajeev Masand:Was that odd for you as a kid?
Fardeen Khan: Yes, probably more so in my early teens. But then he brought me up in that very sense. He always told me, “do things that you want, but believe in them.” He taught me that you cant live your life by the point of view of other people. He wasn’t really that stereotypical as dad.
Rajeev Masand:Your friends must have envied the relationship, isn’t it?
Fardeen Khan: Oh yes, they do. They still say, “You have got the coolest dad”. I keep hearing things like he is a ‘stud’ and stuff like that. But having said that, yes it does take a little bit of an understanding to follow a lifestyle that you have adopted on your own terms. I have been close to both my parents and they communicated things well, so things always fell in place. It was great to hear him speak about things on his own—whether it was his personal life or something else.
All of that helped me understand where he was coming from. His philosophy is “as long as I am not hurting anybody, I will do things that I believe in. And I will be the one to pay the price if have to for it.” He never let anyone impose his perceptions, or ideals on me and I respect him for that. I wish there were more people like him.
If you look at his career, he came to this town at the age of 18-19. He used to hustle people in snooker and make his daily money to eat. He faced good 10-12 years of struggle. He was a B-actor until he launched himself on the big screen. He did some supporting roles with Dharamji and Rajesh Khanna which got him a lot of attention and critical acclaim. He then launched himself as a producer where he started casting himself in good roles.
Rajeev Masand:When you entered the business, you weren’t immediately successful. You have had your share of lows as well. Do you still look back at the journey and feel proud of yourself?
Fardeen Khan: Yes, certainly. After my first film, I was pretty much jobless for about a year. I have had my share of ups and downs in my career. But I guess it’s a part of it. Even if I haven’t reached the height I had wanted to reach, I have the capability to still achieve a lot. Whatever negative you get in terms of failures, you just absorb and use it as a fuel to move ahead.
Rajeev Masand:Best of luck for the forthcoming movies that you will do. Thank you so much for talking to us.
source:IBNLIVE
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